We don't know why we don't see more fullsize Cherokees on the trail. They make a great wheeling vehicle with a perfect wheelbase and good weight distribution, they can be found under $1,000 (stock), and they come loaded with some really nice drivetrain parts. And the Cherokee Chief Jonny Herron traded a quad for came as one screaming deal. Usually, early Cherokees come with a stout 360ci engine, TH400 tranny, a Quadra-trac transfer case, and Dana 44 axles (a great package already). But Jonny got way more than what you'd normally bargain for. His '78 Cherokee came loaded with Dana 60 axles and an LT1 engine!
We caught up with Jonny in Moab this past Easter Jeep Safari and mentioned shooting his Jeep, in which he replied "Man, it's only got an LT1 in it." Only?! Whoa, ya gotta wonder what kind of engine it takes to impress a guy like that!
Leading the front of this sport/ute before sport/utes is a genuine Dana 60 axle with an open diff (for now), courtesy of a donor Chevy. With 6-inch lift springs and some Rancho shocks to hold the tires to the ground, this Cherokee will wheel all day and hop on the highway to cruise home with ease. The stock sway bar has been retained, so disconnects were put on the end to help get a little more flex out of the leaves. A crossover steering setup with a high-steer arm bolted to the passenger-side knuckle helps keep the steering angles acceptable and the bumpsteer to a minimum. | 
Check out this sweet deal. Before Jonny traded the quad for it, the previous owner stuffed an LT1-tuned port-injection engine under the hood. A Crane Cams Fireball ignition helps bring a little more spark to the cylinders, while the aluminum heads hold a 10:1 compression ratio beneath them. Mated to the Chevy block is a 700R4 tranny with Corvette servos to give Jonny a good, low first gear and an Overdrive on the highway. Behind that is a Dana 300 transfer case with a twin-stick. | 
Bringing up the rear is another eight-lug Dana 60 strapped with matching disc brakes supported by full replacement leaf packs with overload leaves. The 60 is packed with 4.88 gears to match the front, but has a Detroit Locker also spinning inside to keep the momentum of this big Chief going. We're not sure who built the rear bumper, as Jonny got the Chief like this, but we like that it has ample tow points, a spot for a receiver hitch, and the exhaust pipe protruding through it instead of hanging the pipe low so it can get crushed. |
Just before Moab, Jonny had his big Chief sprayed with a pumpkin-orange paint that gave it a great look and covered up the not-so-great exterior bodywork. And even with 38-inch Parnelli Jones Dirt Grip tires on American Racing rims, there isn't too much paint rubbed off in the fenderwells. It looks like Jonny made a great trade, losing only a quad for this piece of Jeep artwork. | | |